The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Second Thoughts of An Idle Fellow, by
Jerome K. Jerome

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Title: The Second Thoughts of An Idle Fellow

Author: Jerome K. Jerome

Posting Date: November 7, 2008 [EBook #1915]
Release Date: October, 1999

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SECOND THOUGHTS ***

Produced by Les Bowler

THE SECOND THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW

By Jerome K. Jerome

1899 Hurst and Blackett edition

Contents

On the art of making up one's mind.
On the disadvantage of not getting what one wants.
On the exceptional merit attaching to the things we meant to do.
On the preparation and employment of love philtres.
On the delights and benefits of slavery.
On the care and management of women.
On the minding of other people's business.
On the time wasted in looking before one leaps.
On the nobility of ourselves.
On the motherliness of man.
On the inadvisability of following advice.
On the playing of marches at the funerals of marionettes.

ON THE ART OF MAKING UP ONE'S MIND

"Now, which would you advise, dear? You see, with the red I shan't be
able to wear my magenta hat."

"Well then, why not have the grey?"

"Yes--yes, I think the grey will be MORE useful."

"It's a good material."

"Yes, and it's a PRETTY grey. You know what I mean, dear; not a COMMON
grey. Of course grey is always an UNINTERESTING colour."

"Its quiet."

"And then again, what I feel about the red is that it is so
warm-looking. Red makes you FEEL warm even when you're NOT warm. You
know what I mean, dear!"

"Well then, why not have the red? It suits you--red."

"No; do you really think so?"

"Well, when you've got a colour, I mean, of course!"

"Yes, that is the drawback to red. No, I think, on the whole, the grey
is SAFER."

"Then you will take the grey, madam?"

"Yes, I think I'd better; don't you, dear?"

"I like it myself very much."

"And it is good wearing stuff. I shall have it trimmed with--Oh! you
haven't cut it off, have you?"

"I was just about to, madam."

"Well, don't for a moment. Just let me have another look at the red.
You